Posted by Trickle Up
a resident of Shoreline West
on Apr 18, 2014 at 3:38 pm

He has 4 employees but he said he moves them up off minimum once they show they're worth keeping around. He starts them at min. though...the idea is all thumbs up from him, even with some min wagers on the payroll. He's looking past the three employees at his shop and more at overall purchasing power of the area.

Posted by Local
a resident of another community
on Apr 18, 2014 at 5:02 pm

Further to Greg Coladonato's point, why not make it $30 an hour, or $50? Then "everyone will be affluent."

That's the basic thinking of people like Tom Amiano when he was a SF Supervisor. As long as you don't look at all of the economic effects of a high-minimum-wage policy, but only the sides of it that you want to know about, it seems like a fine idea.

As Douglas Moran wrote on PA Online (in a different context), "Planning is so much easier and more fun if you don't have be constrained by facts."

Posted by I'm Not An Econ Major
a resident of another community
on Apr 18, 2014 at 5:46 pm

I'm not an Econ major but Mr. Hammers statements make no sense. Paying higher wages voluntarily and raising prices was always an option, which he refused to choose. Why is being forced by the govt to pay higher wages a better option? What works for him may not necessarily work for other small business owners. In any case, why does Mr. Hammer need to be told by govt how to run his business. Does he really think some bureaucrat knows better how to run his business?

I know of fast food workers that are hurt by minimum wage laws. Since the law does not apply to works who work less than 40 hours per week, their employer caps the number of hours they can work at 20 hours per week. They are then forced to have two jobs and coordinate that hassle, and the commuting and so fort. In some cases to guys have split the same to jobs to allow their employer to pay them less.

Minimum wage will not work until we make it apply to all hours worked.

All political systems are set up, such that the system gives more advantage to those already advantaged. Think about it, those with talant, education, social, political, or organizational power, or even good looks, are given a large share of advantages, be it higher education, more and better job options, or higher salary.

It seems to be the only way to get those with power and talent to give the rest of us anything at all.

Posted by HurtsHelp
a resident of Old Mountain View
on Apr 18, 2014 at 11:24 pm

HelpHurts--your ignorance is painful to read.
"I know of fast food workers that are hurt by minimum wage laws. Since the law does not apply to works who work less than 40 hours per week, their employer caps the number of hours they can work at 20 hours per week."

Do you not understand anything? Minimum wage law applies no matter how many or few hours you work. Are you perhaps confused with healthcare benefits???? They are completely separate.

Posted by myob
a resident of Old Mountain View
on Apr 21, 2014 at 2:26 pm

Pizza My Heart's sales did not increase because they raised prices. The law of supply and demand, which is held to be true by economists from any background, disagrees. What happened is that the restaurant's sales increased due to other factors, despite the price going up. It could be that its customers aren't price sensitive, the local demand went up for some reason due to businesses moving in, or anything else that increased the local demand. It wasn't the minimum wage.

Minimum wage laws work by banning jobs which pay below the minimum. Some businesses can afford to increase wages, others don't have the margin and have to shut down, while others hire illegal help since they can't do it legally at a price that makes sense. If the future minimum wage is unknown, since it's indexed to the cost of living, then I guarantee that the cheaper restaurants and shops will shut down since they can't pass these costs onto customers. Yuppies might be willing to pay 10% more for their sushi dinner, but if the price of a gyro or burrito hits $10, then you're going to drive away customers, and these are the sorts of places which don't have the margins for higher wages. You will find lots of business support for increasing the minimum wage from businesses that pay more than the minimum wage, to prevent competition from their lower paying rivals.

I hope that Mountain View doesn't pass this law, and I hope that efforts instead address the astronomical cost of living.

$15, I'm sure there will be plenty of non Mtn View residents that will love those jobs. Currently less than 5% of my professional co workers live in the town they work. But we do spend our dollars in Mtv View however after a 100% wage increase will will be spending it in Sunnyvale.

$15 I am sure there will be plenty of non Mtn View residents who will love the pay increase. Currently less than %5 of my co workers (professionals paid over $60/h) live in town. but we do spend money in Mtn View... more like Sunnyvale after a 100% pay increase.

$15 I am sure there will be plenty of non Mtn View residents who will love the pay increase. Currently less than %5 of my co workers (professionals paid over $60/h) live in town. but we do spend money in Mtn View... more like Sunnyvale after a 100% pay increase.

Posted by Din Bill
a resident of North Whisman
on Apr 21, 2014 at 7:55 pm

$15 I am sure there will be plenty of non Mtn View residents who will love the pay increase. Currently less than %5 of my co workers (professionals paid over $60/h) live in town. but we do spend money in Mtn View... more like Sunnyvale after a 100% pay increase.

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